Form aligner clamp



June 16, 1964 w. A. JENNINGS 3,137,052

FORM ALIGNER CLAMP Filed Nov. 29, 1962 //v VE/V TOP W/LL/AM A. JEN/V/NGS Byz w A 7' TOR/V5945 United States Patent ce 3,137,052 I FORM ALIGNER CLAMP William A. Jennings, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to Economy Forms Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Nov. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 241,011 1 Claim. (Cl; 224-248) aligner clamp which is reusable and can be quickly attached and released fromconcrete forms and aligners therefor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a :single unit concrete formlaligner clamp constructed from a minimum number of parts. An additional .object'of the invention is to provide a durable and reliable concrete .form aligner clamp which is simple and rugged in construction and economical to manufacture. I

The exact nature of the invention as'well as other ob- .jec'ts and advantages thereof will be'readily apparent from the consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspec'tive'view-of a concrete form structure showing the clamp of this invention in assembled relation with metal forms anda form aligner;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIGURE '1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen on the line 3 3 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

With reference to the drawing, the clamp of this invention is generally designated as and is illustrated in assembled relation with a concrete form structure 9 which includes metal forms 11 of a pan shape having laterally extended peripheral side flanges 12 and end flanges 15 formed with a plurality of transverse holes 13. Each metal form 11 is reinforced with longitudinal and lateral ribs 14 and 16 which extend between the side and end flanges 12 and 15. The separate forms 11 are secured 7 together in side-by-side relationship by means of releasable plate clamps 17 adapted to cooperate with the holes 13 to connect the side flanges 12 of adjacent forms.

The structure 9 is reinforced and held in alignment by aligner members 18 which extend across the flanges 12 and longitudinal reinforcing ribs 14. The aligner member 18 is a structural supporting beam of metal such as an I or H-beam or of wood such as a beam commonly referred to as a two-by-four. A plurality of spaced clamps 10 extend around the form aligner 18 and hook into the holes 13 to releasably fasten the form aligner 13 across the back of the form.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the clamp 10 includes a body 19 of a substantially flat shape and having a short laterally directed reinforcing flange 21 along one side and around its semicircular end 22. Formed integrally with a base side 24 of the body 19 is a laterally directed tab 26 and an oppositely extended projection 27 is punched from the flat body 19 to form a hole 28. The tab 26 and projection 27 provide a support having a 3,137,052 Patented June 16, 1964 surface 29 which extends substantially normal to the flat body 19.

A resilient abutment or compressible shim 30 comprised of a deformable material such as rubber or plastic, is secured by means of a rivet 32 to the tab 26. The

rivet 32 holds the abutment 30 against thesupport surface 29 whereby the abutment extends in a direction substantially parallel to the 'plane'formed by the flat body 19. As shown in FIGURE 3, the resilient abutment 30 is provided with a countersunk bore 31 which positions the head of the rivet 32 within the abutment, thereby permitting the compression of the abutment 30 over its full height.

37 is disposed in a plane substantially normal to the flat plane of the body.

The clamp 10 has an actuating lever 38 in the form of a bell crank substantially U-shape in transverse cross section having a lever arm 39, and a crank arm 41 integral- 1y connected with the lever arm 38 by a hub section 42. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the hub section 42 is pivotally connected to the semicircular end 22 of the body 19 by means of a pivot rivet 43 which extends through the fiat body 19 and the hub section 42 to fornia pivotal axis substantially normal to the flat plane of the body 19.

The crank arm 41 has a laterally directed cylindrical boss 44 which has an elevation substantially equal to the thickness of the body 19. The boss 44 is positioned in the flat plane formed by the body 19 in close proximity to the An elongated second hook member 46 is pivoted by a .pivot rivet 47 to theboss 44. Thehook member 46 is provided with a quarter turn to form a twisted mid-section 48 and terminates with a hook 49 which is similar to the hook 37 of the first hook member 33 and extends in a plane substantially normal to. the flat plane of the body 19.

The first hook member 33 and second hook member 46 each have a length greater than the thickness of the aligner 18 so that the clamp 10 can extend around the aligner 18 and hook into the holes 13 in the flanges 12 of the form 11.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 when the clamp is in the assembled locked position the body 19 is disposed between the second hook member 46 and the bell crank 38. In this position the circular boss 44 engages a concave section 51 of the lateral flange 21. The concave section 51 provides a surface contact between the body 19 and the boss 44 of the bell crank 38.

In use of the clamp 10, the bell crank 38 is initially moved to its unlocked position, as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. In the unlocked position the effective length of the second hook member 46 is increased by the length of the crank arm 41. The aligner 18 is arranged between the hook members 33 and 46 and adjacent abutment 30, with the hook ends 37 and 49, respectively, inserted into selected holes 13 in the flanges 12 of the forms 11. In the unlocked position the lever arm 39 and the pivot 47 for the second hook member 46 are located away from the body 19 and the resilient abutment 30 is in its normal extended condition as indicated in FIGURE 2 by the dotted lines.

011 movement of the bell crank 38 to its locked position, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2, the pivot 47 is moved to an over-centered position compressing the resilient abutment 30 against the outer surface of the aligner 18 to urge the aligner against the forms 11. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the sides of the resilient abutment 30 bulge or swell outwardly and the end thereof frictionally grips the aligner 18. In the locked position the arm 39 of the lever 38 extends in substantially the direction of the body 19.

twisted sections 36 and 48 of the hook members 33 and 46 respectively. The twisted sections 36 and 43 func tion as torsion-type springs in that they have a tendency to straighten out under the application of tension forces supplied longitudinally of the hook members.

As shown in'FIGURE 3 the ends 37 and 49 are ar- I ranged in substantially the flat plane of the body 11 so that all of the forces exerted on the clamp during a clamping action act directly opposite each other in a common plane. A positive locking action of the clamp 10 is thus accomplished on movement of the bell crank 38 to its locked position. The, clamp does not have a tendency to tilt when it is in the locked position.

To release the clamp from its locked position, the lever arm 39 is moved from its full line position to its dotted line position as shown in FIGURE 2. The hook members 33 and 46 are then readily removed from the openings 13 in the flanges 12 of the forms 11.

From a consideration of the above description it is seen that the invention provides a clamp device for securing form aligners to concrete metal form structures which is of a rugged and compact construction, formed of a relatively few number of parts, and capable of being economically manufactured by stamping and riveting operations. The relative assembly and construction of the body member and the resilient abutment mounted thereon and the pivotally associated hook members and bell crank provide for a resilient or spring action the clamp and a positive locking thereof to firmly hold the aligner 18 against the form 11. I

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A unitary clamp for securing an aligner to a concrete form structure comprising: I

(a) a substantially flat body having a base side, a first 7 end and a semicircular end,

(b) a tab member integral with said base side and extended substantially normal from said body,

(0) first hook means having a first end and a hook end,

(d) first pivot means securing the first end of the first hook means to the first end of said. body for movement about an axis projected substantially normal from said body,

(e) bell crank means having a hub, lever arm, and crank arm formed with a laterally projected boss,

(1) second pivot means securing the hub of the bell crank means ,to the semicircular end of the body with the boss positioned contiguous with and in the plane of the semicircular end of the body, for movement about an axis projected substantially normal from said body, 7

(g) second'hook means having a first end and a hook end,

(h) third pivot meanssecuring the first end of the second hook means tothe boss of the crank arm for movement about an axis projected substantially normal from said body, and

(i) resilient abutment means secured to said tab member and projected from and substantially parallel to said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,604,717 Pflantzer Oct. 26, 1926 2,127,562 Jennings Aug. 23, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 354,70Q Great Britain 1931 

